Facts About Fallout

With recent talk about nations expanding nuclear capabilities and a renewed arms race, we take a look at a booklet issued by the Federal Civil Defense Administration, issued in 1957 and directed at average Americans, called "Facts About Fallout."

Going back to 1945 with the end of the Second World War via the atomic bomb, there was always a looming threat that another nation with more sinister intent might turn the tables back on the United States.

The Soviet Union, although a U.S. ally during the war, soon figured out how to make its own atomic bomb, threatening the United States and democracies around the world, thus triggering what came to be known as the Cold War. With the Soviet threat, and U.S. troops battling communists in Korea in the early 1950s, there was serious worry that the Cold War could turn red hot and that U.S. cities could be the target of nuclear attack by the Soviet Union. With the lives of millions of U.S. civilians at risk, legislation creating the Federal Civil Defense Administration was signed by President Harry S. Truman and enacted on January 12, 1951.

The government wanted Americans, who had lived through two world wars without ever seeing a direct attack on the homeland, to know that this threat was damn serious. Air and missile bases would be likely targets of an atomic bomb, as would major cities. The blast, heat and radiation would kill millions of Americans at or near ground zero of such an attack. Millions more would be injured or killed by radioactive dust — fallout — kicked up by the blast and blown to all parts of the land by wind, so no one was safe. A plan needed to be put in place, and a citizenry needed to be informed on how to handle such a dire situation.

Through the Civil Defense Administration, regional offices were set up, civil defense directors were appointed in communities across the land, informational booklets and posters were published, films were produced, and civil defense experts appeared on radio and television programs, to let John Q. Public, his wife and his children know how serious the threat was and what they can do to protect themselves.

 

"Facts About Fallout" (1957) describes what fallout is and how citizens can protect themselves, in layman's terms. Click the images to enlarge.

 

 

The Squirt Soft Drink Subjective Color Acid Test

On July 25, 1967, television viewers with black-and-white TV sets were startled to see flashes of color on their monochrome screens for about ten seconds during a 60-second soda-pop commercial. A letter to a columnist in the September 14, 1967 Detroit Free Press asked, "Before I see an eye doctor, let me ask Action Line: Is it possible to pick up color TV on a black and white set? I SWEAR I saw a Squirt soft-drink commercial in color. Not pink elephants Green Squirt!" The image was described in the newspaper column as a red, green and blue sign that had flashed on the screen.

A viewer in Chicago told Popular Photography magazine (July 1968), "I saw pink! It knocked me for a loop...the letters S-Q-U-I-R-T looked greenish or light turquoise...and it kept up for maybe 10 seconds." (Meanwhile a viewer in San Francisco claimed he didn't see anything colorful.)

   

It was the national debut of an experimental television commercial using a special production process that would give the optical illusion of color. The commercial first aired a few months earlier locally on KNXT, the CBS-owned television station in Los Angeles, and viewers there were just as stunned. Squirt and its advertising partner Color-Tel Corporation of Los Angeles, at the time decided to make no prior announcement of this experimental commercial, preferring to see just how viewers would respond. And respond they did. Within hours, thousands of viewers were asking if they really saw what they thought they did, color on their black-and-white TV screens, according to Popular Electronics magazine (October 1968).

The burst of color was not "living color" (as NBC frequently touted in the 1960s), but something called "subjective color." The process was developed by James F. Butterfield of Color-Tel, a corporation founded in Los Angeles in early 1966. It gave the illusion of color by pulsating white light in a particular sequence for each color with a rotating device attached to a regular black and white TV camera lens. Butterfield had found in his many years of research that the human brain perceives colors through complex electronic codes. Butterfield was able to figure out the individual codes for the colors red, green and blue, and by pulsating white light in predetermined patterns with the device on the camera lens, could induce the brain of the television viewer to perceive color. Beyond that, ordinary monochrome equipment could be used in filming or taping, broadcasting and viewing.

There were a few drawbacks. The images were nothing at all like true color TV. It didn't have the intensity or range of colors. As the technology currently stood, the effect could only be used on still images. The "subjective color" could only be seen in about one-fourth of the TV screen area, and, because it relied on flickering light, there was a lot of flickering. It was also found that some people could not perceive the colors at all, yet some people diagnosed as color-blind could see the colors.

Nonetheless, Popular Science, in its August 1968 issue, saw many possibilities for the technology, particularly for special effects. "Color will appear in cartoons, commercials and special presentations. Polka-dots on a clown's suit will be seen as red flashing dots. You'll see the designs and lettering on a cereal box in pulsating green and blue. A girl will plant a kiss on a boy's cheek--and a red lipstick print will appear on your screen."

Popular Electronics (October 1968) went on to report, "Right now, Color-Tel engineers are checking into the possibility of using electronic color for such things as color radar displays, color computer readouts, and perhaps even color sonar pictures. It may be true that, in its present stage of development, Butterfield's process is nothing but a scientific curiosity — however, 25 years ago, so was television."

Popular Science predicted, "You can expect color on your black-and-white TV by this fall [1968]." But there was one giant flaw in that rosy prediction. By 1968, black-and-white TV was well on the way out. The vast majority of programming (outside of old movies and TV shows) were being broadcast in "living" color by then, and while most U.S. households still had black-and-white TV sets (color sets were big, bulky and expensive in those days), more and more homes were purchasing color television sets every year. Had James F. Butterfield perfected the process ten or fifteen years earlier, in the 1950s when 90 percent of television broadcasts were black and white, it might have had more of a serious impact.

Although James F. Butterfield had many patents to his credit before his death in 2013, it appears this experiment didn't go as far as the press of the time might have suggested it could. Color-Tel last renewed as a corporation in 1972, and we can not find any evidence of other "subjective color" broadcasts beyond the Squirt commercial.

The Rise and Fall of the 40 ft. Inflatable Hamm's Bear--a photo essay

On July 9, 2016 in Cloquet, MN, a town just outside of Duluth, the historic Northeastern Hotel and Saloon hosted a brewery collectibles show called the Nordlager Show, named after an old local brew. Hotel and Saloon owner Bert Whittington took out of storage a massive inflatable Hamm's Bear, manufactured around 1980 for the Olympia Brewing Company, the makers of Hamm's beer at the time. Connected to two electric-powered air compressors, the huge vinyl blob lying on the ground came to life, and the familiar cartoon character Hamm's Bear stood tall and proud, greeting passersby for a triumphant but brief moment...until he started to lose air.

1. He came to life from a big blob of vinyl on the ground. Owner Bert Whittington helps him up as he fills with air.

 

2. "Hello, Folks!" The Bear stands triumphantly, greeting passersby with an awkward left arm.

 

3. Pete and Bert celebrate with a cool, refreshing Hamm's beer.

Note how much smaller the real can (in Bert's hand) is.

 

4. People came from all over to look at the thing.

 

5. Standing tall and proud, 40 feet high.

 

6. Uh-oh! He's sprung a leak!

 

7. Looking like he's about to hurl after consuming the contents of the giant beer can.

 

8. Another view of the sick, deflating bear, the beer can looking dented and forlorn.

 

9. Oh well. Better luck next year.

 

 

 

 

Fresh-killed chicken.

Fifty years ago, Mobil Oil Corporation ran a series of rather graphic, sharply-worded advocacy ads in newspapers about unsafe driving and young people, with the slogan, "We want you to live." Many decades before anyone conceived of the current problem of texting while driving. Nonetheless, the ads are very much worth taking another look at.

This one, titled "Fresh-killed chicken," featured a depiction of a deceased young man, face-down on the pavement, wearing a "Jets" jacket. It ran in the Minneapolis Star and other newspapers across the United States on October 10, 1966.

Bravo.

Let's hear it for the winner.

That's him lying there--the dead one.

Or is he the loser?

You can't tell. Not that it matters very much. Because in the in the idiot game of "chicken," two cars speed straight for each other. Head on.

With luck, one car steers clear in the nick of time. Without luck, neither car steers clear. And the winner and the loser are equally dead.

Some "game."

It took God Almighty to stop Abraham from making a blood sacrifice on his son. What do you suppose it will take to make us stop sacrificing our children?

We who bear them in sterilized hospitals, stuff them with vitamins, educate them expensively, and then hand over the keys to the car and wait with our hearts in our mouths.

Too bad we educate them only to make a living and not to stay alive.

Because right now--this year--car accidents kill more young people than anything else. Including war. Including cancer. Including anything.

Yet we allow it.

Incredibly enough, fewer than half the young people who get drivers' licenses every year have passed a training course.

Which leaves well over 2 million (!) youngsters who get licenses every year without passing such a course.

And this is the price we pay: 13,200 young people between 15 and 24 died in automobile accidents in 1965. (The exact number for 1966 isn't in yet; it will probably be higher.) It's a gruesome answer to the population explosion. And if we all sit still about it, we ourselves are "chickening out."

Yet we mustn't frighten out youngsters; they're frightened enough. We must teach them.

Does your school system have a driver training course? Are there books in your school library or public library on driving? (did you know such books exist? Do they know?)

Are requirements for getting a driver's license in your state tough enough? Are your radio and TV stations paying any attention to the problem? Your newspapers?

Does anyone in your community give awards for good driving? The PTA? Or the Boy Scouts? The Chamber of Commerce? the churches or synagogues?

What kind of a driver are you yourself? Do you set a good example or a poor one?

Would your company insist on a driver training course before they'd hire someone?

Would your schools insist on a training course before they'd turn a youngster loose?

Would it help?

Yes it would. Education works. Drivers in large truck fleets are trained to drive safely. And some of them have dropped accident rates to only about half that of the general public.

It would cost little or nothing to get these things going. And we haven't a minute to spare. It's blood that we have on our hands, not time.

We at Mobil sell gasoline and oil for our living to the living. Naturally, we'd like young people to grow up into customers. But for now we'd be happy if they'd simply grow up.

Mobil. We want you to live.

May is National Tavern Month

 

Since the mid Twentieth Century, around the month of May, a slogan has occasionally appeared in some beer and liquor advertising: "May is National Tavern Month." 

 

National Tavern Month was established in 1953 by the National Licensed Beverage Association and continues to be promoted by its successor organization, American Beverage Licensees (ABL), based in Bethesda, MD. In recent years the name has been shortened to just Tavern Month. It's unclear as to why the month of May was chosen (some point out the fact that Mother's Day falls in the same month), but according to the ABL, state and local governments have recognized Tavern Month over the years. The special month has a number of goals, including highlighting the hard work of the men and women in the licensed beverage industry, recognizing the "important role that taverns and bars play in American culture," emphasizing "the overwhelmingly positive impact that bars and taverns have on their communities," encouraging support for locally owned businesses and licensees, increasing "awareness of the steps that bars and taverns are taking to ensure the responsible service of beverage alcohol," and to "Increase appreciation of the link taverns provide between customers and the thousands of beer, wine and spirits products on the market."



Said ABL Executive Director John Bodnovich in a 2015 press release, "Whether you're watching the big game, meeting a colleague after work, or dropping in to say hello to your favorite bartender, Tavern Month is a chance to celebrate the culture of the American tavern. In addition to their people and personalities, America's bars and taverns are also a key component of the economic engine that is the hospality industry."

 

The ABL further pointed out in its press release the historic nature of the American tavern. "From the Colonial Era through Prohibition and into the 21st century, American bars and taverns have been central gathering places for community residents and welcoming sanctuaries for weary travelers. Bars and taverns know no class hierarchy, providing a common forum for those from all professions and walks of life to discuss ideas and offer their assessment of the American landscape."

 

In 1956, when the fourth annual National Tavern Month was being celebrated, Associated Press reporter Hal Boyle took a humorous look at it in an article that was published in the Spencer (Iowa) Daily Reporter for Wednesday, May 16, 1956.

 

"(T)he sponsors of National Tavern Month...don't expect the populace to turn the occasion into another Fourth of July, and go around shooting off firecrackers. But they do think it would be nice if you'd drop into your favorite tavern for a friendly drink at the pump, and pause for a moment in silent reverie over the long and important role taverens have played in history...

 

"What can the average man do to honor National Tavern Month?...I consulted a number of bartenders on what form they honestly would like this testimonial to take...

 

 

“'I’d be satisfied if a guy would just order a martini,' one said, “'without adding – "and be sure to make it extra dry." Nobody ever orders a wet martini.'

 

“'Just tell women – all women to stay out of the bar for the whole month—and give us a rest,' said one lady-hating bartender.

 

"But most of the bartenders surveyed said something like this; 'If the customers would just shut up about their troubles for a while – and listen to our troubles—life would be a dream.'

 

"There you are. For most of the year the bartender is a standing psychiatrist to his patrons. Why not, just for a month, become his psychiatrist?

 

"The poor fellow might be so humbly grateful to find a listening ear he’ll break down and even buy a drink on the house. Don’t count on this, however, not even during National Tavern Month."

 

 

7-Up Folklore

While it's no longer the case, in the Twentieth Century, 7-Up was a major soft drink brand, for a time the largest-selling non-cola (or Uncola) soft drink. With its crisp carbonated lemon-lime flavor it was a refreshing drink and popular mixer with hard liquor, and its advertising almost rivaled Coca-Cola's in its volume, with ads appearing in major magazines, TV and radio, and on signage outside of diners and ma-and-pa corner stores across the United States and foreign lands. There was also a lot of folklore that surrounded the soda-pop that came in the emerald-green bottles. For instance, there's a story of how 7-Up was able to put out a cooking fire and baste hams at the same time.

The alleged account appeared in the October 2, 1946 issue of the 7-Up Refresher, a newsletter for a group of Midwestern 7 Up bottlers, supposedly recounting a conversation between women in a beauty parlor after a fire truck went by. According to the short piece, one of the women told this story:

"During the holidays we were cooking several hams on top of the stove. Somehow or other the flame from the gas jet ignited the grease on the ham, and in an instant all the hams were ablaze. Flames were shooting up in an alarming way and we all were running around hysterically. Someone phoned the fire department but it looked as though the whole kitchen would be [on] fire before the firemen came.

"There happened to be a case of 7-UP on the floor. My nephew grabbed a bottle, pulled the cap, shook it with his thumb over the top and then squirted the stream of 7-UP at the burning hams. It blanketed the blaze and soon everyone had a bottle of 7-UP squirting at the hams. When the fire department arrived, the fire was all out and the hams were cooking away unharmed.

"You know, far from doing any damage, the 7-UP improved the flavor of the ham--it's the finest basting we ever had for them. Plain water would have ruined them all and probably wouldn't have put out the fire either. I always have said that one bottle of 7-UP is worth a gallon of water!"

On the same page was this unrelated anecdote:

"Little Johnnie was taking his third grade spelling the other day and was asked to spell the word straight. He spelled out s-t-r-a-i-g-h-t. The teacher pronounced the word as being correct and then asked the meaning of the word.

"Johnnie answered: 'Without 7-UP.'"

10 Mid-Century Creepy Clown Ads That Will Make You Laugh (or Scream)

Step right up, folks, and see the clowns pitching everything from Coca-Cola to Zippo lighters. These bizarre vintage ads came from circus magazines from 1943, 1950 and 1956, scanned from my personal collection. Click the images to enlarge.

1. Coca-Cola Pleases Everyone!

Straight and to the point. Except, what does the clown have to do with Coke anyway?

(Source: Shrine Circus program, St. Paul Auditorium, March 5-11, 1956)

2. Zippo Lighters

Why zip, zip, zip…when one-zip does it? A cigar-smoking clown gives up trying to light up his stogie with a crapped-out cheap lighter as his fellow clown saves the day lighting him up with a giant Zippo. No smoking allowed in the circus tent these days.

(Source: Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus magazine & program, 1950 edition)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. American Airlines

Oh boy. We are treated to the sight of a clown wedding. Isn’t it sweet and romantic? “Don’t miss it! Watch the clowns get their honeymoon off to a flying start to Mexico.” That bride… is that Ronald McDonald’s mother? Yikes! She’s got hairy arms!

(Source: Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus magazine & program, 1950 edition)

4. Johnson’s Foot Soap

This clown has the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval, so you know he’s safe, even if he looks criminally insane. Once again, the presence of the clown doesn’t seem to have anything to do with the ad, selling a foot soap made from “the old time favorite formula of borax, iodide and bran.”

(Source: Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus magazine, 1943 edition)

5. Dr. Scholl’s Zino-pads

Another sore feet ad featuring a clown, from the same 1943 circus program. “You, too, will laugh at corns, callouses and bunions when you use Dr. Scholl’s Zino-pads,” the helpful clown tells us. “As easy to apply as a postage stamp.” Hope that doesn’t mean you have to lick them.

(Source: Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus magazine, 1943 edition)

6. My-T-Fine desserts

“Hey kids! Ask your mom to make you a delicious Chocolate Pudding or Pie,” says the nice clown. “She’ll be glad to give you this special treat…”  If mom thinks the clown’s endorsement is a bit dubious, a post-war housewife reassures her. “My family certainly prefers My-T-Fine chocolate desserts. Yours will too!”

(Source: Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus magazine & program, 1950 edition)

7. Nabisco Barnum’s Animal Crackers

“BOY OH BOY! What fun!” The creepy clown shouts “WEEEEEE-ooo-ooo!” as he looks like he is about to crack you over the head with that over-sized animal cracker box. “Baked by Nabisco–National Biscuit Company” the ad says, if you wondered about the origin of that name.

(Source: Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus magazine & program, 1950 edition)

8. Necco Sugar Wafers

The Necco (that’s pronounced “neck-o,” by the way) clown stretches his neck high so the giraffe can eat his hat, made of Necco wafers. The stars over his eyes make him look like he’s been punched out.

(Source: Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus magazine & program, 1950 edition)

 

 

 

 

 

 

9. Sanka Decaffeinated Coffee

“Being a clown is hard work!” this ad informs us. “Clowns have to be on their toes all the time…they can’t afford to get the jitters and lose sleep…” Therefore, they need to drink decaffeinated coffee, according to this ad, and so should you! This ad appeared in 1943, at the height of the Second World War, so we are told in a line at the bottom to “Buy U.S. War Savings Bonds and Stamps.”

(Source: Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus magazine, 1943 edition)

10. Winchester rifles

“Watch for the Winchester clown.” Or else! Do clowns have the right to bear arms? This one looks psychopathic even if he wasn’t blasting a shotgun. Be afraid. Be very afraid.

(Source: Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus magazine & program, 1950 edition)